March Madness: 5 storylines to follow before Selection Sunday

The bubble, bid thieves, and Miami University's unprecedented resume are all in focus as the NCAA Tournament field takes shape.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:23pm

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With just two days until Selection Sunday, there are still several key storylines to watch as the NCAA Tournament field takes shape. The bubble teams fighting for the last few at-large bids, the potential for "bid thieves" to knock teams out of the field, and the unprecedented resume of Miami University are all in focus. Additionally, the race for the fourth No. 1 seed and the possibility of a 16-loss team earning an at-large bid add intrigue to the final days before the bracket is revealed.

Why it matters

As the most exciting time of the college basketball season approaches, these storylines will have a major impact on which teams make the NCAA Tournament field and how the bracket is ultimately constructed. Fans and analysts will be closely watching these developments in the lead-up to Selection Sunday.

The details

The bubble teams still alive in their conference tournaments that can solidify their spot in the field of 68 with another win or two include Ohio State, Oklahoma, New Mexico, San Diego State, and VCU. Meanwhile, any team that earns an automatic bid by winning their conference tournament that wasn't previously projected to make the field will be considered a "bid thief," knocking out a team that was on the bubble. The case of Miami University is particularly fascinating, as the 31-1 Redhawks have an extremely strong resume but a low predictive metric ranking, creating uncertainty about their at-large chances. Finally, the race for the fourth No. 1 seed and the possibility of a 16-loss team (Auburn) earning an at-large bid add additional intrigue in the final days before Selection Sunday.

  • We're just two days away from Selection Sunday (March 16, 2026).
  • The NCAA Tournament field will be officially revealed on Selection Sunday (March 16, 2026).

The players

Miami University Redhawks

A 31-1 team that has become one of the most hotly debated at-large candidates in the history of the NCAA Tournament selection process, due to their gaudy record but low predictive metric rankings.

Auburn Tigers

A 17-16 power conference team that is positioned to potentially earn an at-large bid, which would break historical precedent as no team with more than 15 losses has ever been selected for an at-large bid.

Dan Gavitt

The NCAA Vice President of Basketball, who told members of the media that the wins above bubble metric would be prioritized by the Committee when selecting at-large teams.

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What they’re saying

“Last month, when select members of the media met for a mock NCAA Tournament selection exercise, NCAA Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt told those in attendance that the wins above bubble metric would be prioritized by the Committee, especially when it comes to selecting which teams make the field and which teams are left out.”

— Dan Gavitt, NCAA Vice President of Basketball

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

These storylines highlight the unpredictability and drama of the final days leading up to Selection Sunday, as teams fight for the last few at-large bids and the NCAA Tournament field takes shape. Fans and analysts will be closely watching to see how these developments unfold and impact the ultimate construction of the bracket.